Where this process fits
Hard-rock aggregate lines should be separated from low-cost hammer-crushing lines. For granite, basalt and diabase, the safer planning route is jaw crushing plus hydraulic cone crushing and precision screening.
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Hard Rock Aggregate / Premium Aggregate
Granite & Basalt Hard Rock Aggregate Line
Hard-rock aggregate line for granite, basalt and diabase, using jaw crushing, hydraulic cone crushing and precision screening.
Process scope
Solution framework only. Crusher selection, liner chamber and screening layout must be confirmed by material test and product target.
Equipment matching is checked by feed material, mud and moisture, target capacity, product size, site layout and environmental requirements.
GraniteBasaltHydraulic cone crushingPremium aggregate
Typical process flow
01. Heavy-duty feeding
Feed large hard rock and pre-screen fines where required.
GZT grizzly feeder
02. Primary crushing
Reduce large hard rock before cone crushing.
Large WLC jaw crusher
03. Medium and fine crushing
Use laminated crushing for hard-rock aggregate production.
GPY single-cylinder or HPY multi-cylinder hydraulic cone crusher
04. Precision screening
Separate high-standard aggregate sizes and return oversize material.
Horizontal or multi-deck vibrating screen
05. Closed-circuit return
Send oversized hard-rock material back to the cone crusher to form a stable closed circuit.
Return belt conveyor + cone crusher
06. Conveying and dust control
Transfer material and control dust according to site requirements.
WLB heavy-duty belt conveyor and spray or enclosure
07. Optional washing
Add washing and wastewater treatment when mud content or premium sand targets require it.
XS / LSX sand washer, WLTS dewatering screen, WS fine sand recovery, HHT filter press
Hard-rock aggregate material and closed-circuit flow
Main material route
- Raw material -> GZT grizzly feeding -> WLC jaw primary crushing -> GPY / HPY cone medium-fine crushing -> vibrating screening -> finished stockpiling by belt conveyor
Closed-circuit return route
- Oversize aggregate from screen -> return belt conveyor -> cone crusher again -> screening again
Optional washing route
- Muddy aggregate or 0-5 mm sand -> washing / dewatering / fine sand recovery -> water recycling or filter-press treatment
Equipment by process section
| Process role | Equipment reference | Selection note |
|---|---|---|
| Feeding | GZT Grizzly Feeder | Recommended for large hard-rock feed and pre-screening before jaw crushing. |
| Primary crushing | WLC Jaw Crusher | First-stage crushing for hard rock before cone crushing. |
| Standard hard-rock secondary crushing | GPY Single-cylinder Hydraulic Cone Crusher | Suitable for small-to-medium and medium hard-rock aggregate lines, balancing hydraulic clearing and purchase cost. |
| High-capacity premium aggregate | HPY Multi-cylinder Hydraulic Cone Crusher | Recommended for higher capacity, harder rock, better particle shape and long-term full-load operation. |
| Screening | Vibrating Screen | Horizontal or multi-layer screening is used for aggregate size control. |
| Conveying | WLB Belt Conveyor | Hard-rock lines should consider wear-resistant belt and transfer-point protection. |
Standard and optional equipment by section
| Process section | Standard equipment | Optional equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Feeding | GZT heavy-duty grizzly feeder. | If raw material is clean and feed size is smaller, ZSW / GZD vibrating feeder can be discussed. |
| Primary crushing | WLC European jaw crusher. | For larger raw stone or higher capacity, select a larger feed-opening model and matching manganese jaw plates. |
| Secondary / tertiary crushing | GPY single-cylinder hydraulic cone crusher. | Use HPY multi-cylinder hydraulic cone crusher for high-capacity, premium aggregate or basalt projects; evaluate SHKX shaping only when 0-5 mm sand is required. |
| Screening | Horizontal screen or multi-deck vibrating screen. | Use horizontal screen for precision grading; use multi-deck inclined screen for ordinary aggregate grading. |
| Closed-circuit return | Oversize return belt conveyor. | Add transfer hopper, speed-adjustable conveyor or secondary screening by closed-circuit ratio. |
| Conveying and protection | WLB heavy-duty belt conveyor. | For highly abrasive rock, add wear liners, conveyor covers, impact beds and belt cleaners. |
| Environmental control | Spray suppression or enclosed transfer points. | For strict environmental requirements, add dust-collection system, enclosed workshop or downstream washing and wastewater treatment. |
Capacity planning ranges
The following packages are planning references. Hardness, abrasion and closed-circuit ratio can change actual output and wear cost.
| Line size | Typical capacity target | Configuration idea |
|---|---|---|
| Small hard-rock line | 50-100 t/h | GZT0932 feeder + WL110 jaw crusher + GPY100 single-cylinder cone crusher. |
| Medium hard-rock line | 100-200 t/h | GZT1148 feeder + WL125 jaw crusher + GPY200 single-cylinder cone crusher. |
| Large hard-rock line | 200-300 t/h | GZT1262 heavy-duty feeder + WL160 jaw crusher + HPY300 multi-cylinder cone crusher + large horizontal screen. |
Reference packages by capacity range
The following package configurations are for website selection communication only. Formal proposals must be reviewed by rock hardness, abrasion, liner chamber, screen openings and return ratio.
Small hard-rock aggregate line
Small and medium quarry or concrete-supporting aggregate project, using granite, river pebble or similar hard rock.
About 50-100 t/h
- Feeding: GZT0932 grizzly feeder
- Primary crushing: WL110 WLC jaw crusher
- Secondary crushing: GPY100 single-cylinder hydraulic cone crusher
- Screening: 1548 or similar multi-deck vibrating screen
- Conveying: WLB belt conveyors connecting the full line
- Suitable for: budget-sensitive hard-rock projects where hammer crushing is not suitable.
Medium premium aggregate line
Standard aggregate plant requiring stable particle shape and grading.
About 100-200 t/h
- Feeding: GZT1148 grizzly feeder
- Primary crushing: WL125 WLC jaw crusher
- Secondary crushing: GPY200 / GPY300 single-cylinder hydraulic cone crusher
- Screening: 1860 horizontal screen or multi-deck vibrating screen
- Closed circuit: oversize returns to cone crusher
- Suitable for: highway, ready-mix concrete and general infrastructure aggregate.
Large high-abrasion aggregate line
Basalt, diabase and other highly abrasive hard rock under continuous high-capacity operation.
About 200-300 t/h and above
- Feeding: GZT1262 / GZT1860 heavy-duty grizzly feeder
- Primary crushing: WL160 WLC jaw crusher
- Secondary / tertiary crushing: HPY300 / HPY400 multi-cylinder hydraulic cone crusher
- Screening: 2060 or similar large horizontal screen
- Conveying: wear-resistant WLB belt conveyors + transfer-point protection
- Suitable for: high-standard aggregate and long-term full-load production.
Suitable feed materials
- Granite, basalt, diabase, iron ore and other high-hardness, high-abrasion rock.
- Hard rock with high compressive strength and high wear cost.
Mud-content assessment
- Low-mud hard rock: When the feed is relatively clean, the line can be configured as a dry jaw crusher + cone crusher + closed-circuit screening process, focusing on wear-part cost and dust control.
- Medium-mud hard rock: When mud or stone powder is higher, screening efficiency may drop; add grizzly pre-screening at the feeding section and evaluate spray suppression or local washing.
- High-mud / clay-coated rock: Sticky clay, rainy-season wet feed or clay lumps should not enter the cone-crushing closed circuit directly; trommel screening, rotary scrubbing or washing should be evaluated first.
Target products and operating goals
- Produce high-strength aggregate with stable grading for infrastructure and concrete projects.
- Reduce flaky particle risk by using laminated cone crushing where suitable.
- Keep wear cost under control by avoiding hammer crushing for hard rock.
- Stabilize finished aggregate sizes such as 5-10 mm, 10-20 mm and 20-31.5 mm through closed-circuit screening.
When washing is required
- A hard-rock aggregate line is normally configured as dry crushing and screening by default, without sand washer or filter press.
- If feed mud is high or the customer requires cleaner aggregate, add sand washing, dewatering, fine sand recovery and filter-press modules.
- If the target is road base, water-stable layer or ordinary construction aggregate, keeping the dry process can reduce water-treatment investment.
- For strict dust-control projects, enclosed transfer points, spray suppression and dust collection should be discussed early.
Optional wet-processing section
- If the project only produces graded crushed stone, washing is not required by default.
- When premium 0-5 mm manufactured sand, mud control or closed-loop water treatment is required, add the washing and recovery line.
- For high-mud hard rock before cone crushing, grizzly pre-screening, trommel screening or rotary scrubbing should be evaluated first.
Finished product size references
Premium aggregate
- 5-10 mm
- 10-20 mm
- 20-31.5 mm
Manufactured sand
- 0-5 mm manufactured sand can be discussed when the downstream shaping process is included.
Return material and stone powder
- Oversize material returns to cone crushing through a closed circuit and is not sold as finished product.
- Whether stone powder or dust-collector fines are reused depends on product use and local environmental requirements.
Main product outputs
- 5-10 mm, 10-20 mm and 20-31.5 mm high-strength graded aggregate.
- 0-5 mm manufactured sand is discussed only when fine shaping or washing modules are added.
- Oversize return material enters closed-circuit crushing to improve finished grading stability.
- Stone powder, dust-collector fines or washed filter cake are handled according to local use and environmental requirements.
Key selection limits
- Do not use ordinary hammer crusher or heavy hammer crusher as the main hard-rock crushing solution; wear cost can become very high.
- Jaw crusher plus hydraulic cone crusher is the main process route for granite and basalt aggregate.
- Suitable for higher-standard infrastructure aggregate, not the lowest-cost simple stone line.
- Washing can be added only when material cleanliness or project requirement calls for it.
- GPY single-cylinder cone is suitable for standard hard-rock lines; HPY multi-cylinder cone is better for high-capacity, premium shape and long-term full-load projects.
- If mud content is high, clay-coated rock is common, or rainy-season wet feed is expected, pre-screening, scrubbing or washing should be judged before fixing a dry closed-circuit design.
- If the customer mainly wants premium manufactured sand rather than crushed aggregate, add SHKX shaping, fine screening or washing / powder removal sections.
- Cone crusher chamber, liners and discharge setting must be confirmed by jaw-crusher output, target size and closed-circuit ratio.
Information needed before a proposal
- Exact rock type and hardness
- Whether abrasion test or site production experience is available
- Maximum feed size
- Target capacity
- Finished aggregate use, such as highway, bridge or general construction
- Site layout, dust-control and power condition
- Target finished sizes and whether closed-circuit return is required
- Whether 0-5 mm manufactured sand is required or only graded crushed stone
- Feed mud, moisture and rainy-season production condition
- Whether washing, spray suppression, enclosed workshop or dust collection is needed
- Spare-part preference: single-cylinder / multi-cylinder cone liner replacement cycle
Frequently asked project questions
Why is hydraulic cone crushing recommended for granite and basalt?
Granite, basalt and diabase are hard and abrasive. A WLC jaw crusher handles primary crushing, while single-cylinder or multi-cylinder hydraulic cone crushers are safer choices for secondary and fine crushing than hammer-type machines.
Can a heavy hammer crusher be used for hard rock aggregate?
It is generally not the first choice for long-term granite or basalt production. Heavy hammer crushers are better for suitable limestone and medium-low hardness brittle stone; hard rock should be checked with cone crushing and closed-circuit screening.
What information is needed before selecting the cone crusher chamber?
Provide rock type, hardness or abrasion information, maximum feed size, jaw-crusher discharge size, target aggregate sizes and whether a vibrating screen will return oversize material in a closed circuit.